Extruded Component With Antimicrobial Glass Particles

ABSTRACT

An extruded component formed from an extruded material having antimicrobial components is disclosed. The extruded material may be formed from polymers and formed into a generally elongated shape. The antibacterial components may be included within at least a portion of the material forming the extruded component. The extruded component may be a filament and may include silver glass particles. In some embodiments, the extruded component may be a single component system, a bi-component system, or a tri-component system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This patent application is a Divisional of U.S. Utility patentapplication Ser. No. 13/006,686, filed Jan. 14, 2011, which in turnclaims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.61/295,403, filed Jan. 15, 2010. The entire disclosure of both the abovedocuments is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is directed generally to antimicrobial materials, andmore particularly to antimicrobial materials formed as filaments.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many filaments are formed from extrusion for a variety of uses. Thefilaments are often coated with a dye to create a filament of a chosencolor. The filaments may be combined with each other to form a fabric orother useful object. Filaments and fabrics have been coated withantimicrobial materials to create an item useful in regulating microbes.The antimicrobial materials are typically coated on the outer surface ofthe filaments.

SUMMARY

This invention is directed to an extruded component including one ormore antimicrobial components incorporated within the extruded componentduring the manufacturing process. The antimicrobial components may besized relative to a cross-sectional dimension of the extruded componentsuch that the antimicrobial components are mixed within the materialforming the antimicrobial components. The extruded component may be afilament. In at least one embodiment, the filament may have a generallycylindrical shape and may have an outer diameter less than about tenmicrons. The antimicrobial components may be, but are not limited tobeing, silver, aluminum, copper, and zinc. These and other embodimentsare described in more detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part ofthe specification, illustrate embodiments of the presently disclosedinvention and, together with the description, disclose the principles ofthe invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an extruded component.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of theextruded component, a bi-component filament, taken along section line2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of theextruded component, a tri-component filament, taken along section line3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of thebi-component filament of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of thebi-component filament of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of thetri-component filament of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of thetri-component filament of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIGS. 1-7, this invention is directed to an extrudedcomponent (10) including one or more antimicrobial components (12)incorporated within the extruded component (10) during the manufacturingprocess. The antimicrobial components (12) may be sized relative to across-sectional dimension of the extruded component (10) such that theantimicrobial components are mixed within the material forming theantimicrobial components (12). The extruded component (10) may be afilament. In at least one embodiment, the filament may have a generallycylindrical shape and may have an outer diameter less than about tenmicrons. The antimicrobial components (12) may be, but are not limitedto being, silver, aluminum, copper, and zinc.

The extruded component (10) may include an extruded material forming agenerally elongated shape and may include an antibacterial componentformed from silver glass in the extruded materials. The extrudedcomponent (10) may be a filament having any appropriate configuration.In particular, extruded component may be a single component, as shown inFIG. 1, a bi-component, as shown in FIG. 2, a tri-component, as shown inFIG. 3, or any appropriate configuration. The bi-component of FIG. 2 mayinclude a core component (14) forming a generally elongated shape and asecond component (16) supporting the core (14). The core component (14)may include silver glass particles. In at least one embodiment, as shownin FIG. 2, the second component (16) may form a sleeve surrounding thecore (14) and may be positioned radially outward from the core (14). Inone embodiment, the core (14) may be positioned concentrically withinthe second component (16). In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4,the core component (14) and the second component (16) may each form ahalf of a cross-section of the extruded component (10). In yet anotherembodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the core component (14) and the secondcomponent (16) may each form portions of a cross-section of the extrudedcomponent (10). More specifically, the core component (14) and thesecond component (16) may each form one or more pie shaped pieces thattogether form a filament. The core component (14) and the secondcomponent (16) may be positioned in an alternating configuration. Bychanging the configuration of the extruded component (10), the corecomponent (14) including the one or more antimicrobial components (12)may be positioned to provide the most effective, efficient use of theantimicrobial properties of the antimicrobial components (12).

In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the extruded component(10) may be formed from a tri-component, such that the extrudedcomponent (10) includes three components. The tri-component may includean appropriate cross-sectional layout of the sections. In at least oneembodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the sections may be concentric andinclude the core component (14), a second component (16) and a thirdcomponent (18). In one embodiment, the core (14), may be positionedconcentrically within the second component (16), which may be positionedconcentrically within the third component (18). In another embodiment,as shown in FIG. 6, the sections may be positioned adjacent to eachother, and in yet another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the sectionsmay be pie shaped pieces forming a filament. By changing theconfiguration of the extruded component (10), the core component (14),including one or more antimicrobial components (12), may be positionedto provide the most effective, efficient use of the antimicrobialproperties of the antimicrobial components (12).

The extruded component (10) may be formed from polymers, such as, butnot limited to, polyethylene pellets. The extruded component 10 may beformed from materials, such as, but not limited to, polymers includingNylon 6,6; Nylon 6, Polyester, Kevlar, Nomex, and other appropriatematerials. The Nylon 6,6 may be extruded at temperatures of betweenabout 280 degrees Celsius and about 300 degrees Celsius. Thepolyethylene pellets may include a dye. Various colored dyes may be useddepending on the desired color. The antimicrobial component (12) may bemixed with the polymer during manufacturing of the filament. In at leastone embodiment, the silver glass particles may be mixed with thepolyethylene pellets. In at least one embodiment, the silver glassparticles with dye are positioned within the polyethylene pellets andmay be used to form a master batch. The master batch may be combinedwith polyethylene pellets such that the master batch forms less than tenpercent of the mixture forming the extruded material (10). As such, aviscosity of the mixture is reduced by less than about ten percent. Thestarting viscosity may be about 0.7, which may then reduced to about0.62 to 0.64 upon the addition of the master batch.

The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, anddescribing embodiments of this invention. Modifications and adaptationsto these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art andmay be made without departing from the scope or spirit of thisinvention.

1. An extruded filament, comprising: an extruded multi-componentmaterial comprising: an extruded core component including anantimicrobial component comprising silver glass particles, said corecomponent being generally sector shaped in cross section and having twosides and an arc; and a second component co-extruded with said corecomponent that does not include any antimicrobial component, said secondcomponent also being generally sector shaped in cross section and havingtwo sides and an arc; wherein a plurality of said core components and aplurality of said second components are positioned side to side withsaid arcs of said pluralities of components forming a perimeter of saidfilament; and wherein said core component and said second component eachcomprise a hydrophobic polymer.
 2. The extruded component of claim 1,wherein said hydrophobic polymer comprises polyethylene.
 3. The extrudedcomponent of claim 1, wherein said core component and said secondcomponent each include dye.
 4. The extruded component of claim 1,wherein a viscosity of said core component is at least ninety percent ofa viscosity of said second component.
 5. The extruded component of claim1, further comprising: a third component, said third component beinggenerally sector shaped in cross section and having two sides and anarc; wherein said filament further comprises said third component;wherein said third component also comprises a hydrophobic polymer. 6.The extruded component of claim 6, wherein said third component includesan antimicrobial component comprising silver glass particles, and saidthird component being generally sector shaped.
 7. The extruded componentof claim 6, wherein said third component does not include anyantimicrobial component, and said third component being generally sectorshaped in cross section and having two sides and an arc.
 8. An extrudedcomponent, comprising: an extruded tri-component material comprising: acore component including an antimicrobial component comprising silverglass particles; a second component that does not include anyantimicrobial component; a third component; wherein said core component,said second component, and said third component are positioned adjacentto each other and form a circular shape in cross-section; wherein saidcore component and said second component each comprise a hydrophobicpolymer.
 9. The extruded component of claim 8, wherein said hydrophobicpolymer comprises polyethylene.
 10. The extruded component of claim 8,wherein said core component and said second component each include dye.11. The extruded component of claim 8, wherein a viscosity of said corecomponent is at least ninety percent of a viscosity of said secondcomponent.
 12. The extruded component of claim 8, wherein said thirdcomponent includes an antimicrobial component comprising silver glassparticles.
 13. The extruded component of claim 8, wherein said thirdcomponent does not include any antimicrobial component.